Wayne Rooney makes Joao Pedro claim ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League clash against PSG

Wayne Rooney has heaped praise on Joao Pedro, hailing the Chelsea striker as the ‘most in-form forward in the Premier League’ ahead of a huge Champions League clash against PSG.

After a mixed first-half to the season, Pedro has been in scintillating form recently, scoring 11 goals in his last 12 appearances.

The Brazilian scored his first Chelsea hat-trick in the crucial Premier League win at Aston Villa last week before netting again in Saturday’s FA Cup victory over Wrexham.

Speaking after the Wrexham scare, Chelsea boss Liam Rosenior insisted Pedro was ‘on fire’ and backed him to have a ‘massive’ impact in the upcoming Champions League last-16 tie against PSG.

Ex-Manchester United and England captain Rooney has also been impressed by Pedro, who completed a £60m move to Chelsea from Brighton last summer.

Asked about Pedro’s upturn in form over the past six weeks, Rooney said on his BBC podcast: ‘I think he’s just settling into his position now.

‘He came on against Wrexham and I thought he was outstanding, he always had time on the ball and then scored a great goal.

‘We saw at Brighton he’s a good player but there’s been more consistency over the last few weeks. He looks really confident and I think he’s probably the most in-form forward in the Premier League at the minute.

‘For me I’d play him as a No. 9 and almost like what Harry Kane is doing at Bayern Munich, he’s clever enough to come into positions and take the ball but he’s also in the penalty box, that false nine if you like is perfect for him.’

Former Chelsea midfielder Andy Townsend has also heaped praise on ‘outstanding’ Pedro.

‘Joao Pedro has been outstanding for Chelsea,’ he told Andy’s Bet Club.

‘Against William Saliba and Gabriel, which is perhaps the ultimate physical test for any number nine right now, he stood up well. His performance was excellent.

‘His hold-up and link-up play with teammates like Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez was first-class.

‘He was getting into traditional number nine goal-scoring positions, netting a couple of tap-ins. The one he dinked over Emi Martinez was a brilliant finish.

‘That’s as good a centre-forward performance as I’ve seen in the Premier League for some time. He was outstanding.’

Pedro’s impressive form in west London has seen another Chelsea summer signing, Liam Delap, struggle for game-time.

Delap, who Chelsea signed from Ipswich Town for £30m, has scored just two goals for the Blues and Rooney insists he is ‘finding it difficult’ at Stamford Bridge.

‘Liam Delap has struggled with injuries and hasn’t really challenged Joao Pedro for that position,’ Rooney added.

‘He’s still a young lad with lots to learn and improve on. But regardless of what Delap is doing, Joao Pedro is making it very difficult for Liam Rosenior to leave him out.

‘It’s been tough for Delap, the way Chelsea play is more precise than what he was doing at Ipswich, it’s a little bit different and a big change.

‘Hopefully he improves on that and learns but at the moment he’s finding it difficult.’

Chelsea travel to Paris on Wednesday night to face Champions League holders PSG in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

The Blues finished the group stage campaign sixth, progressing straight to the knockout stages, while French champions PSG were forced to go through the play-offs.

Chelsea are fifth in the Premier League going into this huge Champions League showdown while PSG are top of Ligue 1 but nowhere near as dominant as they have been in previous seasons.

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